MIAMI—Disappointing, absolutely. Gut-wrenching, indeed. Embarrassing, certainly. Still, this is the word that best describes Team USA’s performance in the World Baseball Classic Friday night: Eliminated.

Puerto Rico, 4-3. It’s back to spring training for the U.S.

Despite all of their talk about how they needed to win the WBC this time, the Americans failed to make it as far as in 2009 when they reached the semifinals.

“Everybody dreamed of being the winner,” U.S. second baseman Brandon Phillips said. “And for us not to get there, I mean, it sucks a little bit.”

More than a little.

At least a late comeback allowed the Americans to avoid being humiliated. For the first six innings, the U.S. looked like it would bow out with a whimper. After scoring in the first inning in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Dominican Republic, the U.S. went 14 innings before its next run. During that skid, not a single American reached as far as third base.

They did nothing against Puerto Rico’s 38-year-old journeyman starter, Nelson Figueroa, who didn’t allow two baserunners in the same inning while limiting the U.S. to two singles through six. With his fastball failing to touch 90 mph, Figueroa stuck to catcher Yadier Molina’s plan of attacking the strike zone. He walked only one as he stuck it to the U.S.

“I sat up watching MLB Network and hearing all the things that I couldn’t do and could do so it was motivation to show them what kind of pitcher I am,” Figueroa said. “I’m not a guy who throws very hard but I’ll pitch inside. A lot of times, they’ll sit outside waiting for that breaking ball and they won’t get it. It was a great exhibition of what could be without having a plus fastball.”

Because of WBC pitch limits, Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez had to turn to his bullpen. Of the six relievers he called on, five are on minor-league contracts and the other is a free agent. The Americans took advantage as their bats finally showed some life.

The U.S. scored once in the seventh and twice in the eighth but also left the bases loaded in the eighth and two on in the seventh.

But they failed to put a single runner on in the ninth against lefty J.C. Romero, who was released by the Cardinals and Orioles last season. Adam Jones and Shane Victorino struck out before Jimmy Rollins popped out to center fielder Angel Pagan, leaving the U.S. attempting to put a positive spin on a decidedly unpositive outcome.

“I’ve been on both sides of the short series and that’s what it is,” Torre said. “It doesn’t mean you don’t have a good team.”

U.S. starter Ryan Vogelsong gave up only one run in five innings but Puerto Rico was able to stretch its lead to 4-0 in the inning after he departed, most of the damage coming against Indians righthander Vinnie Pestano. The biggest hit was a two-run, bases-loaded double by lefty-hitting Andy Gonzalez as Torre waited a batter too long to bring in lefty Jeremy Affeldt.

“I have confidence in every single one of these guys and we just unfortunately had a bad inning,” Torre said.

That bad inning resulted in another lousy outcome for the U.S., which is 10-10 and has yet to reach the championship game in three WBCs. Torre tried a different approach with this roster, supplementing All-Stars with role players rather than inviting two All-Stars at every position. That might have made managing simpler, but the role players did not pay off.

The Americans surely were hurt by the lack of top starters when the likes of Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and David Price chose to stay in their respective camps and prepare for the regular season. No one blames those who stayed away for putting their employers first, but there is little doubt this tournament means more outside of this country.

Missing top talent, however, isn’t the only or even the main reason the U.S. will not be playing in San Francisco. The Americans just weren’t as ready as the players on the Caribbean clubs, whose rosters are stocked with guys who have been playing winter ball.

“Those guys that play winter ball are definitely a step ahead,” Vogelsong said. “We’re preparing a little earlier to get ready for this but you can’t simulate that type of energy, the type of pressure that comes along with being in this tournament. The guys that play winter ball, they’re dealing with that all winter. They’re probably a little more sharp with their pitches, they see the ball better with their at-bats. To me, that’s a big difference.”

While no one should say the Americans played without pride, they still seemed to lack the chemistry that the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico had. Perhaps that’s because the U.S. players haven’t played together as often. Perhaps that’s because many of the players that beat them the past two days believe they have more to prove.

“Names don’t win ballgames,” said Pagan, a member of the World Series champion Giants. “It’s whoever plays the best baseball. We showed that last year with San Francisco. We didn’t have the best team on paper. We knew how to play the game. We went out there and executed plays. We pitched very well. That’s what we did over here.”

Torre’s point about the WBC’s small-sample size also has merit. Certainly the depth and talent of the U.S. roster would make a difference over a 162-game season.

“When you play these double elimination (rounds), it’s a crapshoot,” Torre said.

Legitimate reasons or merely excuses, it doesn’t much matter. Team USA has crapped out again.